Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-12-14

tue COrnor-sIOno OF the Lee Monument In
October last, the good conduct and soldierly
behavior and military appearance of the
State troops won universal commentator
and reflected credit upon Virginia. The
clear and comprehensive report Of the Adju-
tant General gives in detail the necessary
information about our volunteer troops.
SOLDIERS HOME.
When Virginia called upon her sons to
rally to her defence in 1861, from highest
mountain-top to lowermost valley the CRY
was heard, filling her ranks with brave men
upon whose daily labor helpless women and
little children leaned for livelihood. Twen-
ty six years have passed since then, and the
boy who rushed to battle as TO banquet is
the MANNED veteran of to-day, in many in.
stances helpless and houseless.
Upon the suburbe of this city beautiful
Home for homeless Confederate soldiers has
been established by private donations, solic-
tied by the OR. E. Lee Camp" and which
will probably ultimately become the proper
ty of the State.
The time has come when the State should
call together and support there the few re-
naming years of their lives the soldier and
sailor who in maintaining Virginia's flag
upon many hard-fought field can nc
longer maintain himself. I recommend q
generous annual contribution for this pur-
pose.
JUDGE HUsTINas COURT CITY OF sTAUNToN.
| have the honor to state that the resigna.
ton of ]. W. Green Smith, Judge of the
Hastings Court of the city of Staunton, was
accepted at request, to take effect on the
31st of October last.
| His term of Office would not expire by
limitation until the LIST of January, 1885,
The interval between the dates of the &C.
ceptance of the resignation and the meeting
OF the Legislature was brief, and therefore
declined to make an appointment to fill the
vacancy lest it might in some way embarass
the action of this Legislature, whose duty
it is to elect his successor.
DIVIDING THE STATE INTO GRAND DIVISIONS.
Another subject [ think of sufficient i'm.
portanoe to call to your attention is the
separation of the State into geographical
| divisions, whose limits shall be clearly de.
fined; indeed, l would recommend that the
counties by name be placed in the respec-
tive divisions, so that the execution of the
laws, particularly as regards boards of visi
tors to the State institutions, can be strictly
carried out
CAPITOL BUILDING.
feel it my duty to call the attention o.
the Legislature to the condition of the
building now used as the State Capitol.
| 1t has been tor years inadequate fol
State purposes and offices are now rented
at the States expense iu different portion,
of the city for the superiudent of Publ.
| INSTRUCTION, the Commissioner of Ra l
roads, the Commissioner of Agriculture
the Superintendent of Public Printing, tn,
Adjutant General, and the Court re- An
peals. Apart from this, the constant in
crease in storage of valuable BOOKS, paper
aud records in the Library and other por
ti9ns q the building has accumulated b.
ouch weight as to jeopardize human lif;
while the danger from FIRE, always great
especially in the Library, would involve al
| irreparable loss to the State of books, pa
pers, records, paintings, 60, which coult
never be replaced. To meet the pressing
wants of the States service it is necessar,
either TO turn your faces from the memo
ries, rich and rare, which cluster around
the old ediflce, and build new and large
Capitol with greater faciities for the pur
poses OF the State, OF to erect suitable
building elsewhere to contain the Library
historical records, State offices, Court O
Appeals, Sc, sc Of the two plans
would recommend the latter In that cas-,
| the old Capitol could be remodelled in til,
basement and Library story and ampl,
room obtained for legislative purposes
committee rooms and few State Offices
In this connection 1 call your attention t,
the report of the Commissioners of th,
Sinking Fund in response to resolution
Of tho General Assembly in regard to tn,
cost of a State building for the purpose in
dictated, known as II. D. No. IL of the ses
sion of 1SS3-'S4, as it contains such usefu
information on the subject. I would re
commend that committee of two fron
the Senate and three from the House be a
onae appointed to take the whole subieC
into consideration, including plan, Location
and price of such structure and to repor
the result Of their investigation as soon a
possible that this Legislature may &C
promptly in the matter. l have been in
formed that the Library in the Capitol ha
caught fire already number of times, am
in view of its great value, the State shout,
lose as little time as possible in safel,
placing its valuable records in a fire-proo
building. There has already been set apar
for the construction of this building Rid
dleberger bonds as follows:
Face value of Riddleberge- bonds
held by BcaFd, sl6a2e0, the